As much as Seiichi wanted to come up with an answer about the sudden reappearance of the Iris Sword inside his house, he felt that it would only make him end up crazy or something similar. No answer would come up no matter how much he thought about it.
He'd been meaning to contact Shuji since then. But he forgot that Shuji already said to him before that he won't be able to contact him for a while because of a personal business. Though until now, he had no idea what it was at all.
Yes, Hitoshi appointed Shuji to guard him after the clan prince died. And yet he only realized now that the guy would only appear when he felt like it. Those times were confusing to him, at first.
Shuji would usually appear when Seiichi was in deep or when it so happened that he came up with an important decision. Come to think of it, it was like that guy had some sort of radar when it came to him and the important aspects of his life after the attack.
Seiichi decided to leave his house for now so he could clear his mind. All this thinking of possible answers would only head nowhere at this point. Maybe having a glimpse of nature would do so.
But as soon as he stepped outside, he then realized that he didn't know where to go. He must have at least a certain place in mind that he intended to go to if he wanted to clear his mind. As he recalled that he thought of having a glimpse of nature as his way of clearing his thoughts, he decided to head to the Shiasena Temple.
That place was still mysterious to him, no matter where he put it. But he noticed that, more often than not, the forest surrounding the temple grounds did make him clear his thoughts once before. Right when he decided to approach Rin and start over with her.
"I wonder how she is. I haven't seen her in a while..." Seiichi murmured and looked around as soon as he reached the temple grounds.
But he halted to a stop upon seeing a familiar figure leaning on the steel railings near the entrance of the smallest temple.
"Rin?"
He even had to blink several times just to make sure he wasn't hallucinating or anything. Sure, he was thinking about that girl earlier. But he didn't think he'd see her in the place where he wanted to clear his thoughts.
"What is she doing here?" Seiichi asked himself with a frown as he continued looking at Rin from his position.
Yes, it wasn't the first time he'd find the young lady here. But it seemed that finding her here again could indicate something that he might have failed to notice before. But what could that be?
'Could it be that... she's here to think? She does have a faraway look in her eyes. Parang ang layo na naman ng itinatakbo ng isip niya.' And yes, he could tell that even from his position. Until now, he found it strange that he could do such a thing. Lalo na kapag si Rin ang usapan.
Then again, this wasn't the first time he had done that. He wouldn't usually take notice of Reiko the same way he would notice Rin from afar. What could be the reason for him to see such a difference in his actions toward a girl?
"Oh, forget it! Kung anu-ano na naman ang maiisip ko nito," he hissed after a few more moments of contemplating. Perhaps he'd be able to know if he decided to approach her.
Looking at Rin from afar like this won't give him the answer he needed.
xxxxxx
"You're out here alone again. Hindi ka man lang ba nagsasawa?"
Kourin raised her head and turned to the source of that voice. But she frowned at the sight of the approaching Seiichi.
What was this guy doing here? Bakit ito narito?
She decided to head to the Shiasena Temple to think things through after she decided to have Shuji deliver the Iris Sword to Seiichi in secret.
Whether or not this young man knew about Shuji's involvement in that, she had no idea for now. But she'd rather not mention anything to him. She wasn't even planning to, anyway. Hanggang kaya pa niyang panatilihing lihim ang lahat, handa siyang gawin ang lahat.
"What are you doing here? May bumabagabag na naman ba sa ‘yo?" she managed to ask as soon as she was able to snap out of her musings. It was indeed unusual for her to see Seiichi in this place again.
Then again, could this place have some sort of magnet for people involved in the mystery she was trying to solve?
"I just need to head somewhere where I can think properly. For some reason, this is the only place I could think of that fits that. Parang may sa maligno yata ang lugar na ito para maisip ko iyon." At sa hindi niya maintindihang dahilan, bigla ito natawa sa sinabi nito.
'So we're thinking of the same thing, then.' This place does have some sort of magnet. Kourin was now sure of that.
"What about you? I see you out here all alone again. Is there something wrong? May nangyari na naman bang hindi maganda?"
Kourin shook her head and took a deep breath. "Wala naman. You don't have to concern yourself about it. Gusto ko lang mapag-isip."
"You know, you hurt my heart by saying that. It's like you can't trust me with any of the things that concern you at the moment."
And this guy even had the guts to pout like a child in front of her. What was going on with him? Kailan pa ito natutong mag-astang bata?
"Do you have to do that?"
He smiled soon after. "Maybe it would work on you. Who knows?"
She shook her head with a smile. "I just don't want to trouble you with anything for now, okay? I'd like it better if... we just meet where we don't have anything to worry about. Relishing the moment that we're like this, enjoying what's in front of us."
After that, she chuckled. Although this time, she couldn't hide the bitterness in them. 'Great! Why am I acting like this in front of him now?'
"You don't have to pretend that you're okay in front of me when I can tell that you're not. Okay? Ayokong nakikita kang nahihirapan habang sinosolo mo ang lahat."
Those words froze Kourin and made her face Seiichi not long after. Her expression was a mix of surprise and confusion. Nahalata talaga nito iyon?
"I can tell that you're dealing with something heavy at the moment. Your eyes expressed that to me, sa maniwala ka’t hindi. Although I have no idea what that is, at least I can say that you don't have any reason to hide them from me. You don't have to tell me everything. Just don't try to carry it by yourself. Mahirap din para sa akin na makita kang ganyan and yet, wala naman akong magawa para tulungan ka sa kung ano mang gumugulo sa ‘yo," Seiichi continued and approached her.
Before she could comprehend what was about to happen, she soon found herself pulled and enclosed in his embrace. Of course, her eyes widened when it finally registered in her mind. She even had the urge to push him away because of it.
Then again, why would she do that? Not to mention, his hug on her was tight. And...
'Is he shaking?' She wanted to raise her head and look at his eyes to know the other. But it seemed that he had no intention of letting her do that.
"Seiichi..." She could only call out his name like this.
Kourin was torn between wanting to hug him back or just letting him do what he wanted to do at the moment. Her heart pounded like crazy in her chest, but she remained still in her position.
"I'm here. You don't have to bear it yourself. Hindi ako lalayo sa ‘yo, tandaan mo ‘yan."
Kourin could only close her eyes and finally give in to what her heart wanted to do. She returned his embrace but chose not to say anything at the moment.
Yes, the burden she was carrying was heavy that a 17-year-old girl like her shouldn't bear. And yet because of what happened, here she was. Even her heart felt heavy since she couldn't blurt it out to the world how she wanted it to.
But at that moment, Seiichi was here. She might not be able to tell him everything. He might hate her once he found out the truth. That she lied to him. She knew that would be painful for him.
Nevertheless, she wouldn't have to think about it for now. More mysteries would pop up as they try to discover more answers to the questions that plagued them since the ambush. Kourin knew she'd have to spend all of her energy and ability to see her mission end with her own eyes. It could lead to her death if she couldn't prevent it.
"Just don't disappear..." Kourin whispered and hints of desperation were evident in her voice. She felt Seiichi stiffen as she said those words.
It was a selfish wish on her part. But she didn't want to feel that excruciating pain of losing people important to her ever again. She didn't want to lose Seiichi the same way she lost her family.
No words came out of Seiichi's lips. Instead, he hugged Kourin tighter and even placed a kiss on her hair. It made her heart flutter and warmth filled her because of the gesture. She hadn't felt something like that in a long while.
"Don't worry. I'm not even planning to."
For now, Kourin would hold on to that. She would pray for it until the time comes that events in her life would begin making it impossible for them.
For now, she'd remain in his tight embrace like this. She would relish it until it started becoming a dream for her.
For now, this was enough for her.
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